Political Sign Code Amendment

The proposal is to amend the development code at San Juan County Code 18.40.400 Exempt signs, subsection (C) and Ordinance 2-1998 as follows:

The following signs are exempt from the regulations contained in SJCC 18.40.370 through 18.40.400 18.40.390

C. Political signs shall be permitted outright; provided, that they shall not be erected more than 45 days prior to an election and shall be removed by the candidate or landowner no more than 72 hours following an election terminating candidacy. Political signs shall not exceed six square feet in area.

The result of the amendments to San Juan County Code and Ordinance 2-1998 is that political signs will be exempt from the sign code regulations without conditions.

This change is needed in order to comply with San Juan County Superior Court Judge Katie Loring’s order dated Monday, May 21, 2018 re: Case No. 18-2-0507528. The Court held that the conditions of the political sign exemption in SJCC 18.40.400(C) are likely contrary to law and entered an order preventing the County from enforcing them. Existing County policy is to not enforce the time limits on political signs. County Code will be made consistent with County policy and the Court order by amending SJCC 18.40.400(C) as proposed above.